Full Breakdown
Melania Trump Calls Jimmy Kimmel a Coward, Urges ABC to Act
4/28/2026, 5:50:28 AM
First Lady Condemns Jimmy Kimmel’s Remarks
On April 27, 2026, Melania Trump used her X account to call Jimmy Kimmel a “coward,” label his monologue “hateful and violent rhetoric,” and demand ABC stop giving him a platform after his joke about her.
Background & Context
Kimmel’s joke aired on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and quipped, “Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.” It aired before shooting at Dinner, where 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen shot an agent. Cole Tomas Allen donated $25 to ActBlue for Kamala Harris’s campaign, a detail noted by an administration official. The incident prompted the cancellation of the dinner program.
Timeline
Key dates: September 2025 – Kimmel’s “MAGA gang” comment triggers Nexstar preemptions; December 2025 – ABC extends his contract through May 2027; April 27, 2026 – Kimmel delivers the “glow” joke, a Dinner shooting occurs, Melania Trump posts condemnation, and President Trump calls for Kimmel’s removal.
Official Statements & Responses
Melania Trump’s X post called Kimmel’s monologue “hateful and violent rhetoric” that divides the country and urged ABC to act. President Donald Trump called the shooter “a sick guy” and described the incident as “a rather traumatic experience” for the First Lady. ABC confirmed Kimmel’s contract extension, declining comment. Nexstar called the “MAGA gang” comment “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
Criticism & Gaps
Nexstar Media Group preempted Kimmel’s show in 2025, showing corporate resistance to his commentary. Analysts note his “MAGA gang” label for the Charlie Kirk murder conflicts with law-enforcement findings of a left-leaning motive, questioning his framing. Critics argue his jokes exacerbate political polarization.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.” — Melania Trump, First Lady
- “A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him.” — Melania Trump, First Lady
- “Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” — Jimmy Kimmel, Host
- “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse” — Nexstar, Statement
- “a sick guy” — Donald Trump, President
What’s Next
ABC has not announced disciplinary action; Kimmel’s contract runs through May 2027, leaving the network’s response to Melania Trump’s call uncertain. Nexstar’s preemptions hint at affiliate actions, while the Correspondents’ Dinner shooting fuels debate over political rhetoric and media responsibility.
